438 Ilecollcctio?is of a Gardening Tour. 



seen from without, and too much of the exterior scenery as seen 

 from within. The question, in these and similar cases, that we 

 should ask ourselves is : Supposing the tree, and the land- 

 scape or group of which it forms a part, were sketches on paper, 

 instead of realities, how should we improve them ? 



We cannot leave Biggar without expressing our regret that 

 Mr. Cree is not more generally employed. If some of the 

 principal proprietors throughout the country would employ 

 Mr. Cree to inspect their young plantations two or three times 

 a year, the cost to them would be a mere trifle, for Mr. Cree 

 only charges half a guinea a day; while the benefit to the pro- 

 prietor, directly by the improvement of his plantations, and 

 indirectly by the knowledge gained by his forester, would be 

 great in proportion to the extent of his plantations. 



New Posso ; Sir John Nasmyth, Bart. If we imagine a 

 valley in the direction of east and west, with a narrow lake along 

 the bottom, and the hills on each side gradually rising from the 

 level of the water to the height of 600 or 800 feet, we shall 

 form a general idea of the kind of scenery of which the house 

 of New Posso forms a part. The house is placed about a third 

 of the way up the slope which forms the south side of the valley, 

 and of course looks to the north. There is scarcely another 

 house to be seen but itself. The profound impression of me- 

 lancholy produced by the scenery is not easily conceived by 

 those who have not felt it : but it arises from the want of human 

 habitations, or any thing like a village, for some miles before you 

 arrive at the entrance gate ; from the public road being evidently 

 one not much frequented ; and from the hill facing the north, in 

 consequence of which the house and grounds are in direct shade, 

 or in reflected light, great part of the day. Great part of the 

 slope being naked, or only covered by young plantations, the 

 eye readily measures it from the base to the summit; and at the 

 top of the hill there are an ancient parish church and burying- 

 ground, long since disused for any other purpose than as the 

 family mausoleum. Down the hill-side runs a small clear 

 stream, with occasional waterfalls and lateral expansions into 

 pools, which forms a fine guide to a beautiful walk, winding 

 and climbing along its banks till it terminates at the mausoleum. 

 There are extensive old woods both to the rieht and left of the 

 house, and many fine old ashes, beeches, oaks, sycamores, 

 Scotch firs, larches, and acacias, some of which, through the 

 kindness of Sir John Nasmyth and Mr. Lawson, have been 

 figured and described in the Arboretum Britannicum. Along 

 the brook and in a number of other places, masses of rhodo- 

 dendrons, with other evergreens and foreign shrubs, have been 

 planted ; and are already beginning to give a rich effect, and 

 to countei'act that naked, wild, and solitary appearance which is 



